We aren’t insinuating anything about grandma and her home cooking, but unless she’s a classically trained chef in one of the most competitive culinary settings, enjoying turkey dinner on the road isn’t all that bad. Especially when today’s chefs are anything but traditional—finding inventive and delicious ways to transform turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie, then mixing in some wildcard ingredients you’d never expect to see on a Thanksgiving spread. Whether you’re on the road this season or just looking for inspiration for your own events, these restaurants have no shortage of creativity.

Gramercy Park Hotel, New York City

Have a when-in-Rome experience with an Italian take on Thanksgiving at Maialino. Chestnut soup, pumpkin-sage tortelli di zucca pasta, turkey, kale-and-sausage stuffing, polenta and a cranberry mostarda round out all the necessary fixings. maialinonyc.com

Saddle Peak Lodge; Calabasas, California

Head for the hills this holiday for a filling four-course meal of pumpkin soup, roasted baby beets, Spanish octopus salad, turkey breast, New Zealand elk tenderloin, spiced pumpkin pie and banana-huckleberry bread pudding. saddlepeaklodge.com

Windsor Court Hotel, New Orleans

Put a Cajun twist on turkey dinner at The Grill Room with a lobster etouffee starter, followed by heritage-breed turkey, oyster stuffing and haricots verts. grillroomneworleans.com

Viceroy Snowmass Resort; Aspen, Colorado

Thanksgiving has another significance to skiers: first day of the season. Viceroy Snowmass Resort celebrates with Thanksjibbings Leftover Challenge, where chefs compete to create the best day-after meal. Guests can sample and vote for their favorite. viceroyhotelsandresorts.com

Fairmont San Jose, California

Looking for a boisterous atmosphere that mimics home? Live piano music and kids’ games ought to do the trick. Indulge in semitraditional fixings such as rubbed roast turkey with chestnut and sage stuffing and lavender mustard rib-eye roast with thyme garlic jus. fairmont.com/san-jose

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